19th June 2011

Into The Light

“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”John 3:19-21 (NIV UK)

Have you ever noticed that it’s easier to sleep when you’re in the dark? That’s true in both the physical and the spiritual realms. Even if you’re in a lighted room, if you put on a blindfold so that the light doesn’t make it to your eyelids, you’re more likely to sleep.

It’s easy to keep blinkers on if we don’t want to face our evil deeds. But even though we might be wearing a spiritual blindfold and hoping our deeds won’t be exposed, there’s really nowhere to be except in the light. That’s because Jesus, the Light of the world, has already shined in the darkness and all our deeds are already exposed.

The interesting thing about light is, it does its work with or without us. We can reject it, but it’s still there. We can pretend we’re in the darkness; we can live as if we’re in the darkness; we can even believe we’re in the darkness, but wherever there is light, the darkness cannot withstand it. Light always wins over darkness.

Spiritually speaking, it’s the same. We can walk in the darkness, but only in our own minds, because as John 1:5 tells us, the Light already shines in the darkness, and that Light is Jesus Christ.

When Moses and Elijah appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus, and Jesus blazed with an intense other-worldly light, Peter, James and John were terrified. Still, as the story in Matthew 17:1-3, says, Peter spoke up and suggested that he and his friends make three tents for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. But Moses and Elijah weren’t there to stay. They represented the Law and the Prophets–Jesus brought grace and truth. He was the Light that shines in the darkness, the Light that exposes, cleanses and purifies all things.

If you want to wake up someone, either from spiritual or physical sleep, flood the room with light. It might take a while to rouse the sleeper, but eventually light will win over darkness.

Here’s the bottom line: We can’t make or generate light ourselves. Jesus is the light, and he gives it freely to us. All we can do is open our eyes and walk in it. It’s everywhere. That’s how grace works.

Prayer
Holy Father, by nature we are reluctant to face what we are, because we recognise our shortcomings. Yet, thanks to your Son and everything he has done to rescue us from ourselves, we are now children of light—your light. We ask for your help to face the light boldly and to use it to help us to become better children—your children. In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen